Mechanical shaving device



Nov. 12, 1940. G. E. COLMAN 2,221,394

MECHANICAL SHAVING DEVICE Filed Sept. 27, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 i V I I I 1 j I! 117 a Nov. 12, 1940. G. E. COLMAN 2,221,394

Patented Nov. .12, 1940 UNITED "STATES" PATENT OFFICE "14 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in' hair shaving or clipping machines, having a reciprocating blade or blades activated by an electric motor; said blade cutting the hair by shearing it off against a fixed blade; the object of the invention is first, to secure a much closer shaving action by placing the moving blade between the fixed blade and the skin, second, to lessen the time needed to shave a given surface by using a hair gathering slot. thebroad side of which is drawn towards the short hairs, gathering more over which it passes than the standard practice of using many fine slits moved endwise towards the hair, third, to lessen noise, friction and wear by reducing the number of moving parts and bearing surfaces and fourth, to provide for the removal of the cut hairs, and the cleaning of the cutting surfaces without the necessity of taking the shaver apart. l

The invention has additionalutility, in that it may be used, changed in size but not in principle, to shave hardened skin from healthy surfaces, to trim thelint or fuzz from cloth, to even.the surface aDf furs or brushes or to trim or 'shaveany stiff fibrous material that will enter into it? slot. 'I'hedrawings and description for the sake of clearn ess will deal with the shaving of the short hair-0f a man's beard, from the skin of his face.

Figure 1 is atop plan of the cutting head, with the cover plate and movable blade rerlgoived.

I Fig. 2 is a top plan of tins cover plate, and/ Ba top plan of the movable blade. Fig. 4 is a side section of the cutting head shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a twin form of the species shown in Figs. 1 and 4, also in side section. Fig. 6 is a perspective of the front of the cutting head to show a variation of the slot. in that; the leading edge of the slot is slitted toallow easy entry of hairs. Fig. '7 is a side section of a species adapted for heavier duty and using two moving blades which alternately enter a single slot. Fig. 8 is a side section of a species having a twoedged movable blade together with two co-operating slots. Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of the form shown in Fig. 4, in actual use; showing. how. this type head manipulates the skin and hairs in shaving.

The drawings illustrating the invention are adapted t0 use with a solenoid motor of the reciprocatingtype, therefore it may be understood that armature shaft 9 in all the drawings'is-reciprocable, and is connected to the movable armature of the motor which is not shown. For the sake of brevity this reciprocating motion is used in all the species, but it should be understood that rotary or impulse motors of various types can be used just as readily by adapting. the various sp cies to these types of primarymotion. 1

Figs. 1 to 4 showa simple form of the invention suitable for use with a solenoid motor. The 5 handle I (Fig. 1) enc ses the motor, the armature shaft 9 sliding in. aringslfl and 30, enters into the motor compartment and is activated by the movable armature of the motor. The blade holder I2 is fixed to this shaft with" set screw 2 10 and this movable assembly is held yieldingly at Lre t by springs u and I3. The adjustable nipple 50 holding bearing l0 affords means of adjusting thetension on the springs, it is held firmly to housing 5 by lock nut 5|, when suitably adjusted. 15 The top of the blade holder I2 is ground flush with the top of the blade bearing I 6 and the fixed cutting blade H. The moving blade 20 is held to the blade holder 12 by the screws l8, l8

(Fig. 1) which pass throughthe slots. l9, l9 (Fig.

3) affording means of adjusting the cuttingedge. The front of the blade 20 is kept onits bearing I6 by pressure from the bent lip 2| of the cover plate, 22 (Fig. 2). The cover plate lip is of springs" material and bent enough to secure ten- 25 sion on the moving blade when cover is'screwed Q down tight. The blades I6, I], 20, and 2| are of hardened cutting steel. The chamber 4 be-\ neath the moving blade 20 reducesfriction-ahd affords room for an oil pad if desired. 30

The moving blade 20 being rigidly aflixed to the shaft 9 through holder. l2 partakes of its motions and is set to just pass the fixed blade I! at its forward limit of motion, effectively shearing any hair introduced between their edges. hairs fall directly through the clipper. The smooth surfacesof the blades and chamber 25 affording no lodgement where the hairs could I pack.

The cutting slot through which the hairs pass 40 I is a. novel feature of this invention. In the form ends of the hairs whenv the clipper is drawn over the surface.

The novel way in which this mechanism shaves is shown clearly in the sketch Fig. 9 in which only the parts involved in the cutting action are 5 The cut 35 .ing against the hairs.

shown. The blade bearing [3 takes no part in the actualcutting except to keep the moving blade properly aligned with the fixed blade n. The shearing is done at the inner edge of blade l1 when the leading edge of blade passes over it. In order to bring this edge close to the skin and secure the finest'shaving action all excess metal is ground away from the faces of blades 2!, 20 and I! ,as clearly shown. These external faces of the blades may be honed or polished without disassembling the clipper. The other surfaces of the blades will be polished by the action of the mechanism.

The angleat which the external faces of the blades 2!, 20 and I! are ground may be varied, as long as the sharp edges bear the same relationship to the dull edges, as in the drawings.

In use, the cutting slot 11-2! is pressed to the skin with the handle of the clipper horizontal or slanting upward, and drawn upward with the full length of the blade I! dragging or scrap- The short stiff hairs are forced between the two edges of the slot Il-Zl during the part of the cycle when blade 20 is Withdrawn. Pressure of the two edges of the slot |l2l on the skin force afold orpucker of skin to enter slightly into the, slot causing the hair to protrude from its follicle. The scraping action of blade I! also lifts the hair further out at the same time pressing the fold of skin back out of the slot. The moving blade ZO-cuts sections from the hairs as they enter the slot, by shearing them against blade IT. The final cut wil be at a point on the hair ordinarily below the surface of the skin. When the hair is cut it falls within the chamber in the form of coarse powder. over the skin may be varied. Fig. 9 is an average. It will cut eff ciently as long as it is so held as to allow blade H to catch against the hairs when it is drawn towards them.

The width of the cutting slot; or distance between the inner edges of .I 1-2l may vary in different forms of the invention; it is determined mainly by the type of surface tobe shaved and. may be'as wide as desired, providing that it does not allow the skin fold that forms within it to lap over the inner edgeof blade I! to such an extent that it would be cut or pinched by blade 20.

The blades L6, 11, and 21 are "shown and described as inserts to accentuate the fact that these parts should be of hardened cutting steel. When the head of the clipper is made of steel they may be formed in the metal instead of inserted, and tempered and hardened.

In Sheet 2 of the drawings are shown other species and variations of the invention. These drawings are simplified to theparts claimed, but

edge of a slot. Thus the headhas two slots oppositely situated, one shears in one direction and the other in the opposite direction. This form empties the cut hairs from the .sides.

Fig. 6 shows in perspective a variation of the leading edge; of the slot, which is applicable to moved downward corner 34 shears.

The angle at which the clipper isdrawn most of the species. This variation consists. of

' a rowof narrow slits in the leading edge, opening 7 into the slot, this row of slits is shown at 26.

3435 differs from that previously .described in that both edges are used as shearing corners, therefore this slot cuts in either of two directions: when moved upward corner 35 shears and when This single slot is used with two moving blades; moving blade 32 passing in front of blade 33 and into the slot to shear against corner 35 and blade 33 moving in front of blade 32 to shear against corner 34. Fig. 8 shows in side section a shearing device having two slots and a two edged moving blade. It has a single moving blade 36 with two shearing corners 31 and 38, one for each slot. The ball and socket lever system pivoted at 39 moves the blade first into slot 40-4I and then oppositely into slot 42.43. The,inner wall 60 serves as a blade bearing to keep the shearing corners in correct register. Fig. 9 is an enlarged sketch of the shearing head, showing the portion that rests on the skin in shaving. It will be seen thatthe light pressure of the slot edges makes a depres-' sion in the skin surface, causing a skin fold to rise slightly into the slot, and that the moving blade 20 approaching at an angle from a position above the slot shears the hair protruding from the skin,- without in any way abrading or harming the skin. In this sketch the device is supposed to be moving in an upward direction against the grain or nap of th hair.

Having thus described my ini/ention and shown some of its embodiments by way of example and not limitation, what I claim as new and desire r to secure by Letters Patent is:

projecting into the slot, and means for reciproeating the blade.

2. A shaving device comprising a cutting head having a slot, 2. blade movable'from a position above the slot, across one edge of the slot and into it, cooperating with the inner corner of this slotslot, and means for reciprocating the blade.

3. A shaving device comprising a cutting head having a slot, a blade mounted within th head at an acute angle to the'skin contacting surface of the head and movable across one edge of the slot and into the slot, cooperating with the inner corner of this slot-edge in passing to shear hairs projecting into the slot, and means for recipro- 65 eating-the blade.

4., A shaving device comprising acutting head having a slot, a blade with its edge fitted to the slot and. protrusile thereto, movable into the slot,

wiping one edge of it in entering to shear hairs projecting into the slot, and means for actuating the blade. b 1

5. A shaving device comprising a cutting head .edge in passing to shear hairs projecting into the j having a slot, a blade movable across one edge of the slot into the slot, and over an external bearing face adjacent the slot-edge, cooperat- 6. A shaving device comprising a cutting head;

having a slot extending transversely of the direction in which the cutting head is moved in use, .a blade movable across the following edge of the slot and into the slot, cooperating with the inner corner of this slot-edge in passing to shear hairs projecting into the slot, and means for reciprccati gthe blade.

'7. A sha ing device comprising a, cutting head, having a slot, the external wall of the cutting head adjacent the slot being beveled to facilitate entrance of hairs, a blade withinthe head mv-' able across one edge of the slot and into the slot, cooperating with the inner corner of this slot-edge to shear hairs projecting into the slot, and means for actuating the-blade.

8. A shaving device comprising a cutting head, having a slot extending transversely of the direction in which the cutting head is moved in use, and having a plurality of slots extending at right angles to the transverse slot and opening through its leading edge to facilitate the entrance of hairs, a blade movable across the following edge of the slot and into the slot, cooperating with the inner corner of the following edge to shear hairs projecting into the slot, and means for actuating the blade.

9. A shaving device comprising a cutting head having a slot, a blade within the head movable across one edge of the slot and into it, cooperating with the inner comer of this slot-edge in passing to shear hairs projecting into the slot,

means for reciprocating the blade, means for guiding the blade during its reciprocation, and

means for yieldably urging the blade into shearing engagement with the edge of the slot.

, 10. A shaving device comprising a cutting head having two slots, a double-edged blade movably mounted within the head, one bladeeedge for each slot, each blade-edge movable into its re= spective slot in a shearing manner across one edge of it, cooperating with the inner corner of its slot edge in passing to shear hairs projecting into that slot, and means for actuating the blade.

' 11. A shaving device comprising a cutting head, having a slot wide enough to receive a skin fold extending above the inner corners of the slot, two blades movable in alternation into the slot in a shearing manner, one across one edge of it Y edge to shear hairs projecting from the skin fold,

and means for reciprocating the blades in alternation. i

12. A shaving device comprising a cutting head, having a slot of suiiicient width to receive a fold of skin, a blade movable into the slot, wiping one edge of it in entering to shear hair from the skin-fold, the face of the blade above its shearing corner rounded convexly to press the skin told from .the slot without abrasion, and means to actuate the blade.

13. A shaving device comprising, a cutting head, having a slot of snflici entwidth to allow intruding skin to bulge above its inner limits, a blade movable into the slot, wiping one corner of it in entering to shear hairs from the skin, and'means to actuate the blade.

14. A shaving device comprising a cutting head, having a slot extending transversely of the direction in which the cutting head is moved in use, and wide enough to allow a skin fold to intrude above the slots inner limits during that movement, a blade mounted within the head at an acute angle to the skin contacting surface of the head, andmovable from a position above the slot, across the following-edge of the slot, and into the slot, cooperating with the inner corner of the slot-edge in passing to shear hairs projecting from the skin fold, and means for reciprocating the blade.

GEomnEDwA'Rn COLMAN. 

